Short sponsors to be permitted for MLS teams

Liam Watson

In an effort to limit potential losses due to the coronavirus pandemic, sponsors are now permitted to be seen on the shorts of Major League Soccer (MLS) teams.

In a report by the Washington Post, MLS franchises will be given the ability to expand on their sponsorships with the licence to now have partners on club shorts.

The league’s 26 teams will be given time to negotiate deals before the competition restart takes place with a five-week tournament at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

It’s reported that the MLS wants to gain advantage from being the first US men’s team sport to return with all 54 matches televised.

Previously, MLS teams were only allowed a main solitary shirt sponsor and an extra right sleeve sponsor. Only four teams secured sponsors for both of these, which was introduced this season. There could be the option to sell both, while the MLS is looking at allowing teams to feature sponsors on the left side too.

The existing MLS sleeve sponsorships are believed to bring in around US$500,000 to US$1 million a year.

According to the report, the additional branding opportunities are designed to allow franchises to get the most out of their current local sponsorship agreements that are currently being hampered by the pandemic, especially with matches being played behind closed doors.

Some sponsors have reportedly withheld payments to teams as MLS teams try to deal with the financial toll that is linked to the coronavirus pandemic.

In fact, MLS commissioner Don Garber revealed just how much Covid-19 has setback the league, with MLS losing around US$1 billion.

“[Short sponsors are] one of many ideas MLS has discussed,” the league said in a statement.

“But at this time, we do not have anything to announce.”

MLS is due to begin again on July 8th with the MLS is Back Tournament. All 26 teams are divided into six groups for the opening round, with 16 teams advancing to the knockout rounds. The overall winner earns a spot in the 2021 Concacaf Champions League.

Teams had only played two games of competition before it was postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

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Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

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Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

Football NNSW Releases Infrastructure Strategies as Participation Growth Outpaces Facilities

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Northern NSW Football has unveiled bespoke infrastructure strategies for each of its seven member zones, providing an evidence-based roadmap for facility investment across the region as continued participation growth exposes critical gaps in the sporting infrastructure available to support it.

The Member Zone Infrastructure Strategies draw on data across participation rates, population growth and existing facility conditions to map what each zone has, what it needs and where investment will have the greatest impact. Identified gaps include drainage, lighting and inclusive changerooms – the foundational infrastructure that determines whether facilities are functional, safe and accessible year-round.

NNSWF Government Relations Manager Gary Fisher said the strategies represented a significant step toward smarter, more targeted investment across the region.

“By bringing together key data on participation, population growth and existing infrastructure, these strategies give us a stronger understanding of where the needs are greatest and where investment will have the most impact,” Fisher said. “Ultimately we want to create more inclusive and accessible environments for everyone involved in the game while building stronger, more sustainable clubs and communities for the future.”

Northern NSW Football has previously noted that participation across the region is at record levels and still rising, with women’s and girls’ football a significant driver of that growth. Infrastructure that was built for a smaller and less diverse participation base is increasingly unable to meet current demand, let alone accommodate future growth.

The strategies are also designed to strengthen NNSWF’s alignment with government funding priorities, providing the evidence base needed to support grant applications and long-term facility planning across all seven zones.

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